Huntsville gazette., 1887-12-24

Sle WOulQ suspect, anu, BHONlhS tLdt Sis
had little with which to carry cut her OWE
plans, he wisely forbore.
al am going to the station to meet the ten
o'clock train, Teddy" she said, as he was
hitching Doll, ''and you may meet me there
with the sleigh"
Father isn't coming home, is hel' said
Ted, in CONSERVATION.
Z" No, dear,' replied the mother, laughing
at his alarm, ''but / think there will be
somebody there. and she darted into dry
goods store, without explaining the nys-
terry.
Ted went into another store to get warm,
and then amused himself wandering up and
down the street, looking into the shop win
dows, which were gay with Christmas
goods, and thinking what he would buy IL
he had the means.
He had spent fully twenty-five dollars Ia
this imaginary way, when he observed
stranger come out from one of the stores,
and walk away briskly.
He had a pleasant face, and stepped of
with the assured air of one who is accus-
toned to having the good things of this life.
1t was warm, sunny day, and his heavy
overcoat was thrown jauntly open, and, as
he passed up the street he drew his hand
kerchief from an inside pocket, and nlew
his nose with sOnOrouS blast
Ted was watching all this with interest,
for the mans pleasant face had pleased his
childish fancy, and as the handkerchief
came out the boy saw another object fly out
also and lodge in the dirty snow Of the gut
ter, while the gentleman walked quickly on,
quite unaware Of his loss.
Teds first thought was that it was only
piece Of paper, and it did not occur to him to
inv 10 ht1f
sent him flying to the spot, where, after
some little search, he found a small pack.
age wrapped in white paper and decorated
with an express label; there was evidently
a small box within, and Ted ran as fast as
his legs would carry him to restore it to tha
owner.
That jaunty gentleman was just getting
into handsome sleigh az Ted turned the
corner. and away he went.
mister mister" screamed Ted at the top
of his voice, which the bells drowned and
then began race-Ted running for dear
life, the horses trotting along with no idea
THAI they were pursued.
The boys legs did him good service, how
ever, and at last he succeeded in attracting
the attention of the driver "What's this
my lad." he said, kindly. want ride2"
"N-n-no," painted Tsddy, all oVt of breath,
"but you lost this, sir, and picked 1t up,''
and he held up the package.
''Well well, did ever" said the gentle
man, feeling hastily in his pocket what
careless trick. And so you've pretty near
run your legs off to catch me, eh!'
II guess they're all whole yet, sir" re-
piled Ted, with a smile, and yet putting with
the race
He handed over the box, while the stray
ger took out fat pocket-book. "ChrsLmas
is coming, my boy, and may be you'll like az
extra bit Of surprise money" he said, good
naturedly, as he handed out a fve-doliar
bill to the astonlshed child
''Oh, sir, that's too much" and Tea 0f-
fered it back, quite overwhelmed b. gucn-
munifcence.
''Well, don't know about that,n said this
gentleman that box contains q watch
worth two hundred dollars, and by the tune
I had advertised it and paid a reward, it
would have cost me double the amount, be-
sides the chances Of my finding it again, 50
on the whole, think I am rewarding you
very moderately" and he buttoned his
overcoat over box and pochct-book resolut9-
| ly, and prepared to drive on.
A whole arena of Christmas presents
| danced through Ted's happy brain, as hs
luS HShtAt-itctii ACA ii1
gift, and they parted with mutual good feel
ing.
"If 1 mad such q father rs that" solilo-
quized the child, ''what good boy I'd boz
"If had an honest, bright-faced boy like
that" said the gentleman, ''what a happy
father I'd be-"
Ted had never before kept 4 secret from
his mother, and it was the hardest work to
keep from telling his adventure, but secrets
were flying in the air apparently and he
held on to his with true Christmas tenacity
He had suspected by this time who was
coming on the train, and he was on time At
the station with Doll he had also wisely con
cluded to wait bit for her advice and as
sistance before spending his wealth.
Aunt Nan stepped off the train when IL
came in, looking roster and jollier than ever,
Ted thought, as she hugged him up close to
her warm furs, and she had the fattese
sachel and the heaviest basket he had ever
lifted.
There was a perfect jubilee Of welcome
when the party reached home, and Anns
Nan took her nam mesakc and little Jane into
her warm embrace, to their complete sur
prise, for they had never dreamed of such
happy arrival "The little dcars,'' said
Aunt Nan, as she and M 8. Rexford nlade
several mysterious trips to the barn, re-
turning with contraband bundles under
their aprons, 'they shall have one Christ
mas, if they never do another"
Such merry-making tho Rexford house
had never witnessed before. Billy Grant
had good-naturedly consented to 50 to tha
woods and cut small evergreen, which
was conveyed to the parlor secretly, and IL
it was not as brilliantly lighted au1
trimmed as it might have been, it was o.
wonderful tree, nevertheless, hung with
popcorn, apples and oranges and gifts, an
til the children were nearly wild with de-
light when they saw il.
A long pail, full Of some mysterious c1.n-
pound, had been sitting in a tub in tAa
woOdshed, carelessly covered over with o
piece Of carpet, and this was found to con-
tain ice-cream, and after all the other
things had been distributed, it came in,
piled up in delicious masses of frozen
sweetness, on Mrs. Rexford's best china.
saucers, together with the angels food
which Aunt Nan had baked that day.
Mrs. Rexford actually cried with sur
prised delight when Ted gave her 4 lovely
plush work-box, the first gift he had ever
beer, able to make hor and told his story OF